Virtues of Friday
All days belong to Allah, the Lord of Honour, but the virtue that Friday holds is not held by any other day. Allah the Exalted has blessed the day of Friday with many distinctions and privileges, the details of which the Prophet ﷺ explained gradually.
◈The Best Day
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
خير يوم طلعت فيه الشمس يوم الجمعة
“The best day on which the sun rises is Friday.”
◈The Day Adam (peace be upon him) Was Born:
Adam (peace be upon him) was created on Friday, and on that same day he entered Paradise and on that same day he was removed from it, as the Prophet ﷺ said:
فيه خلق الله آدم وفيه أدخل الجنة ، وفيه أخرج منها
“On it (Friday) Allah created Adam (peace be upon him), on it he entered Paradise, and on it he was expelled from there.”
◈The Day of Resurrection
Among the many other distinctions of Friday, one important distinction is that the Hour will occur on this day. The Prophet ﷺ said:
ولا تقوم الساعة إلا في يوم الجمعة
“And the Hour will come only on a Friday.”
◈The Greatness of Friday
For this reason, because of the greatness and majesty of Friday, all creation in this universe other than humans and jinn spends this day in humility and supplication. The hadith of the Prophet ﷺ states:
وما من دابة إلا وهى مصيخة يوم الجمعة من حين تصبح تطلع الشمس شفقاً من الساعة إلا الجن والانس
“All living creatures other than jinn and humans are waiting for the Hour on Friday from the time of dawn until sunrise.”
[The manner of which is known only to Allah]
That is, humans, despite the Prophet ﷺ having said, “The Hour will come on a Friday,” are heedless, forgetting the Hereafter and immersed in the colours of worldly life, whereas on the contrary, other living creatures spend Friday in a state of anxiety (out of fear of the Hour).
◈Expiation of Past Sins
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
الصلوات الخمس والجمعة إلى الجمعة ، ورمضان إلى رمضان مكفرات ما بينهن إذا اجتنبت الكبائر
“The five prayers, and Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan, are expiation for what lies between them, provided major sins are avoided.”
Regarding a person who dies on Friday or on the night of Friday, the Prophet ﷺ said:
من مات يوم الجمعة أو ليلة الجمعة وقي فتنة القبر
“Whoever dies on a Friday or on the night of a Friday is protected from the trial of the grave.”
For further research, see the work of my teacher Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai, may Allah preserve him:
◈The Moment of Acceptance
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إن في الجمعة لساعة لا يوافقها عبد مسلم وهو قائم يصلي يسأل الله تعالى شيأ إلا أعطاه إياه وأشار بيده يقللها
“On Friday there is a moment such that whenever a Muslim servant happens upon it while standing in prayer and asks Allah for something, Allah grants it to him.” He indicated with his hand, showing that this time is very brief.
In another hadith he said:
“The day of Friday consists of twelve hours, among which there is one hour in which a Muslim who asks Allah for something at that time will have it given to him by Allah. Seek it in the last hour after the Asr prayer.”
Some scholars differ regarding the determination of the “moment of acceptance,” but as Muslims we should spend the entire day in search of the pleasure of Allah.
◈The Fate of One Who Abandons Friday
Just as the virtue and importance of Friday can be sufficiently gauged from the above hadiths, it will not be difficult to understand from the following hadith (warning against abandoning it without excuse) that one who abandons Friday prayer is bringing upon himself Allah’s displeasure and becoming fuel for Hell. The Prophet ﷺ said:
لقد هممت أن آمر رجلا يصلي بالناس ثم أحرق على رجال يتخلفون عن الجمعة بيوتهم
“I have firmly resolved to order a man to lead the people in prayer, then to burn over the men who stay away from the Friday prayer along with their houses.”
He further said: “People should stop abandoning the Friday prayer, or else Allah will seal their hearts, and then they will be among the heedless.”
O Lord of the worlds, make us among those who gather Your mercies and blessings on Friday, who are worthy of these virtues, and do not let us be like those whose hearts have been sealed due to heedlessness of Your remembrance.(Ameen)
